Typically, a social alarm system monitors the safety and wellbeing of a client in their dwelling, such as in their own home or in a sheltered housing scheme. Often, a social alarm client unit is installed in the dwelling and is arranged to initiate an alarm call to a remote monitoring center when an alarm event is detected. As particular examples, the alarm may be triggered by the client pressing an alarm button on the social alarm client unit itself or on a personal radio trigger unit such as pendant.
The client unit may use data signaling to inform server apparatus at the control center of the alarm event. The control center apparatus may allow an operator terminal to open a voice communication path and talk with the client via the client unit. The voice communication path is very helpful in order to immediately reassure the client and asses their need for further care. If appropriate, a caregiver or medic can be dispatched to the dwelling to help the client. Therefore, it is important that the system should operate correctly and reliably at all times.
Some of these alarm events can have serious consequences. For example, the client may suffer a fall, leading to an automatically initiated alarm call to the control center. Therefore, it is desired to know the location of the client at their dwelling. An indication of the location of the client can be vitally important, e.g. so that a caregiver or medic can reach the client more quickly. However, there is currently no useful mechanism in a social alarm system for indicating the location of the client.
Generally, it is desired to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the related art, whether those disadvantages are specifically discussed herein or will be otherwise appreciated by the skilled person from reading the following description.